You may have a nearly full set of Lippmann collection accessories, but have you found the perfect tools for creating those intricate details that are so popular in today’s nail art craze? There are some products out there that can make it easier to get straight lines, crackle effects and even magnetic designs – but what about dots?

Luckily, The Beauty Department found a solution. While it’s possible to create your own dotting tool by sticking a pin into a pencil’s eraser, not everyone has these materials on hand. But if you own a mechanical pencil, or even a regular pencil, you’re golden!

Just use the tip of the pencil to dip into your colorful nail polishes, then lightly press it onto your nails wherever you think a dot would look appropriate. An all-over polka dot pattern would be fun, as would dots just on the tips – or maybe along one side of each nail. See what happens when you use different pencils – regular wooden ones might give you different sized dots depending on how sharp they are, which could open up a new realm of possibilities!